Parks

Parks

Chennai city the fourth largest Metropolitan city is a unique harmonious blend of Tradition and Modernity with multistoried buildings of Industrial/ Residential/ Commercial. It has increasing trend of Global Warming and Pollution due to growing No. of industries and Vehicles. A green revolution has taken place in the City of Chennai in the form of development of Parks, Traffic Islands, Centre Medians. Chennai Municipal Corporation has taken up the task of Developing and rejuvenating the greenery of the Chennai Metro. This major development with emphasis on greenery reduces the carbon-di-oxide content in the atmosphere and allows the citizens to breathe pollution free air. It Provides lung spaces for the city and enable children to play safely and serves as peaceful place for walking entertainments etc.,It also adds aesthetics. This transformation from a dry wry city to a green aesthetic delight has brought fresh smiles not only to the faces of the citizens but also to the tourist and floating population of the State's Capital. Chennai City is having 260 Nos Public Parks, 154 Nos of Traffic islands and 103 Nos of Centre Medians which are maintained with attractive Greenery in aesthetic condition.
Some of these major parks that serve as lung spaces spread around the city are Anna Park in Royapuram, Secretariate Park in Rajaji Salai, Peramabur Flyover Park in Perambur, My ladyes Park in Periamet, Dr.Visweshwariah Tower Park in Anna Nagar, Jai Nagar Park in Koyambedu,Thiru Vi Ka Park in Shenoy Nagar and Nehru Park in Egmore ,,May Day Park in Chintadripet, Independence Day Park in Nungambakkam, Mayor sundararao Park in Egmore, Panagal Park,Natesan Park, Jeeva park in T.Nagar, Erikarai park in Nesapakkam, Sivan .Park( Dr.MGR Park) in K.K.Nagar, Dr.Nageshwara Rao Park in Mylapore.and ,Indira Nagar park in Adyar.
The Parks which requires developments are rejuvenated as when. Of these, Independence Day Park, Dr.Visweshwariah Tower Park, Panagal Park, Natesan Park Anna Park,Sivan Park ,Indira Nagar Park have been redeveloped by redesigning with modern landscape designs by Architects having all features of Parks. attracting a larger public to use them.
The salient features of Parks are Lush Green manicured lawns, beautiful long walk ways Colour full Shrubberies Ornamental Hedges and edges Avenue palm trees Colour full fountains and water cascades, Yoga platforms and Meditation Centres Sitting Gallery, Childrens Playfields with play equipments, Lilly pond , Sitting benches arches and pergolas and Ramp pathways (for differently abled persons).Park are provided with see through Compound walls to enjoy the beauty of surrounding city while walking or taking rest.
Plants such as Bougain Villiae, Caesalpinia, Pisonia, Acalypha, Ixora hybrid, Clerodendron, Tabernamontana, Dracena Cordiline, Eranthemum, Allamanda, variegated, Graphto phyllum, Aralia varigated , Mussaenda, Thuja, Callistemon, Juniferous, Prichardia Palm, Areca Palm, Song of India, Tecoma capensis Furcrea ,Galphemia, Haemelia patterns, celerodenron , Nerium oleander, Tecoma,,Euphorbia splendens,, and Ficus, are selected for planting.
Parks are generally opened to public between 5-9 am and 4-9 pm on working Days and 5am-9 pm on holidays.

Development of Open Spaces

The OSR lands as and when handed over to Chennai Corporation are developed in to beautiful Parks or Playfields. Large open spaces, which were wasteland, are being developed into Parks. Open space near Napier bridges, open space near the Turnbulls road junction , Kotturpuram, have been developed as Parks. In Basin Elephant Road, Pulianthope an un-noticed Corporation Land which was encroached by huts and used as a bullock cart yard and also used as an open air toilet was identified and developed into a big beautiful Park bringing a much needed lung space to the congested Pulian thope area.

Canal banks

Canal banks in selected places were developed in beautiful parks with walkways suitable colorful greenery. The banks of Nungambakkam Canal, The banks of the Coovam River in Swami Sivananda Salai from Kamaraj Salai to Anna Salai , along Binny road and at Langs garden road were converted into attractive landscape with walkways, water body etc.

Special Beautification Projects

Chennai Corporation took up beautification of Beaches from Secretariat to war memorial, Napier bridge to light house and in Elliots beach In Marina the entire stretch of 2.5K.M. beach has been beautified with vast stretch of lawns, 14 Nos of galleries, walkways and attractive lamps, abundant sitting Galleries, beautiful water fountains. Ramp walkways, etc.
Corporation of Chennai has installed Sculptures in important Traffic Junction and Vantage Points to depict the Ancient and Traditional cultures of TamilNadu. Also the walls of city in important places are painted with Drawings of Ancient Tamil Tradition adding beauty to the Metro.

Traffic Islands

Traffic islands at road junctions have been developed with aesthetics tiles and grills. Plants such as, Pisonia, Acalypha ixora hybrid, Song of India, Tecoma capensis Furcrea Galphemia Haemelia patterns Nerium oleander, Pedilanthus varigated, tabernamontana, Dracena Cordiline, Eranthemum varigated Graphto phyllum, Aralia varigated are grown in these islands. Some islands are provided with fountains and ornamental lights. About 154 numbers of traffic islands have been developed.

Central Medians

Centre Medians are built with granite stones and random rubble masonry in all important roads with the middle portion planted with greenery. All the Centre medians in major bus routes are provided with granite planter boxes and beautified with greenery. Plants such as Ixora, Clerodendron Mini Ixora Tabenamontana, Pisonia, Nerium are planted. About 103 numbers of Centre Medians have been maintained.

Watering

All the greenery developed by the Corporation of Chennai is watered everyday and ensured that they sustain and grow. Bore wells are provided in Parks for irrigating the plants. Water from Bore Wells and through water tankers are used for watering the plants in parks, Traffic islands and Traffic Centre Medians.
In order to spare the ground water for the citizens primary Treated sewer water is taken from the treatment plants of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board through water tankers, collected in sumps provided in the Parks, and then used for watering the plants.

Play Fields

Chennai Corporation creates and maintains Play fields which are essential for active and passive recreational facilities to the citizens of Chennai. Play field activities keep the mind and body of an individual healthy. Play fields encourage the youth to take up sports seriously and achieve in life. In the three hundred years history of corporation of Chennai the corporation has maintained 18 public play fields before 1947. Now the corporation is maintaining 210 play fields, 96 Gymnasiums are in use, 4 shuttles indoor Stadium, 1 Basket Ball Indoor Stadium and 2 Swimming Pools, in the city for the benefits of the local residents. Among the 210 play fields more than 14 play fields have been formed as star play ground with all facilities like provision of courts like foot-ball, Tennis, volley ball, ball badminton, and basket ball. Among the Gymnasium maintained by Chennai Corporation, 22 Gym are equipped with modern equipments like Multi Gym, Tread mill and Trainers,. Every day about 50 to100 peoples are using each Gymnasium.
INDOOR SHUTTLE COURT are located in Mandaivelipakkam, R.R. Colony Jaffarkhanpet, Karpagam Avenue Mylapore and Shenoy Nagar .
BASKETBALL INDOOR STADIUM is located in Kilpauk Garden. SKATING RINKS are located in Anna Nagar, Shenoy Nagar, Nungambakkam, Marina Beach, K.K. Nagar and T.Nagar. SWIMMING POOLS are located in Marina Beach and My Ladies Park.
Corporation of Chennai has been extended and new zones have been formed. There are large no of places available in corporation especially in the extended areas for creation of parks. It has been announced by the Worshipful Mayor that 100 parks will be newly created/ rejuvenated in the available places in corporation especially in the extended areas.